Indian Antiquary Vol 21

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 93

MARCE, 1892.)
THE INSCRIPTIONS OF PIYADASI.
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THE INSCRIPTIONS OF PIYADASI. BY E. SENART, MEMBRE DE L'INSTITUT DE FRANCE Translated by G. A. Grierson, B.C.S., and revised by the Author.
(Continued from page 13.) C. - KHALSI, DHAULI-JAUGADA, COLUMNAR EDICTS, BHABRA,
SAHASARAM, RUPNATH, BAIRAT. The Spelling of the remaining edicts is so siinilar, that it will be advantageous to group all the facts together in one view.
The edicts are referred to by their initial letters: Dh. = Dhauli; Kh. = Khálsi ; S. = Sahasaram; R. = Rúpnath ; B. = Bairat; Bh. = Bhabra. For the Columnar Edicts, I have taken, as typical, the only complete version, the most correct and that best known, that of the pillar of Firuz Shâh at Dehli (D). I only cite the divergencies of the other versions (D2ARM) when they appear to me to present points of special interest, and to be not merely accidental transformations.
The text of Jangada is, in the series of the fourteen edicts, almost invariably identical with that of Dhauli. Dr. Bühler only notes four points of divergence ; according to his texts I count at most seven or eight; the text of Jaugada, being moreover less complete than that of Dhauli, offers nothing new. The case is not the same with regard to the detached (or "separate') edicts; here the two versions more frequently shew points of difference, which are not all devoid of interest. Under these conditions Dhauli, as a general rule, answers for both, and I shall content myself with merely drawing attention, in the proper place, to forms peculiar to Jaugada.
The fragments of the Queen's Edict, of the edict of Kansâmbi, and of the inscriptions of Barabar, are too short and too damaged to lend themselves to methodical treatment. 1. - PHONETICS.
(=va, éva), III, 7, &c. - In the middle of (a). – Vowels.
words, I note sukháyámi, VI, 20; láti, VIII.
23. Changes of Quantity. - Kh. does not mark, for i and u, the distinction between long and DHAULI. - Finals: ahú, III, 9, al. (never short. The solitary instance in which an í has cha); alálhayévu, det. II, 6; chalévú, det. II. been read: piyadasi, I, 2 (Bühler) is so in- 5; nikhamávii, III, 10; púpunévú, det. II, 7; distinct, that the facsimile of General Cunning- yujunh', IV, 8; mame, det I, 5; ná, I, 4; ham gives it as short. I have no doubt that he vaséruti, VII, 1 (Jaug. oti). - In the interior is right. - R. and B. read jambudipasi, which of words, we find several instances of lengthenis not sufficient ground for us to conclude that ing, some of which are compensatory or acthey would not have marked the long vowel, cidental: -sahúsúni, I, 3; tákhasilaté, det. I, 24; if the text had brought it again elsewhere; abhikálé, V, 25; chilathitiká, V, 27; VI, 33; and that especially, because at Bh. we have
niché, VII, 2; anávútiya, det. I, 11; nithúlicertain examples of i and ú. We must, there- yena, det. I, 11; hilarina, VIII, 5 (Jang. ht) fore, conclude that this peculiarity belongs can only be an error of the engraver. only to Kb.
DEHLI. - Finals: áhá (aha), passim ; apahaVowels lengthened. - KHALSI- A final 'tá, VI, 3 (RMfa), if the form is really equivery often becomes á, more often, indeed, than valent to apahritya; anupalipajéya, VII-VIII, it remains short. I quote only a few examples 17; asvasá, V, 18 (RM osa); bhayená, I, 4; of each case : abhisitasá, XIII, 35, &c.; abhisi. chá, passim; évá, L, 6 (RM 'va); gônasi, V, 18 têná, IV, 13, &c.; áhá, passim (once only áha, (RMsa); hê mêvá, I, 8; VI, 6 (ARM ®va); já, VIL, 6); ajd, IV, 9; chd (more frequent than napadasá, IV, 5 (RMsa); lokasú, VI, 2, 4, cha); évá, II, 6, al.; hidá, I, 1, al.; palatá, IX, (RM Osa); mamá, IV, 12 (D'RM ®ma); papová27, &c.; puna, passim ; mamá, V, 13; vd / VI, 13 (ARM va), usáhéná, 1,5; vadhéya, VII